As a representative type of multi-point communications, there is a television (video) conference system. In a television conference system, a plurality of terminals is connected via an MCU (Multi-point Control Unit). The MCU combines image data sent from a large number of terminals on one multi-screen display and transmits the same together with audio data to the individual terminals to thereby realize a television conference connecting multiple points.
Basically, the cases of combining images of different points into one multi-screen image include:
(1) the case of equally splitting one image (for example splitting into four or splitting into nine) and
(2) the case of obtaining one large image region and equally splitting the remaining region (for example splitting into six).
In the case of (1), images from points connected by the MCU are combined using the same surface areas.
In the case of (2), the speaking point is assigned a large surface area and the images from the remaining points are assigned to the remaining equally split regions.
In each case, the television conference system is conducted by using a large screen monitor. Therefore, even when combining images of a plurality of points into one multi-screen image, the sizes of the images showing the individual points are sufficiently large, so recognition of the face of a person does not become difficult so far as showing just one person. A television conference system is disclosed in for example Patent Documents 1, 2, etc.
FIG. 1A to FIG. 1E are diagrams showing examples of a display screen of a terminal of a personal computer (PC) or the like at the time of multi-point communications in a general television conference system.
In the examples of FIG. 1A to FIG. 1E, a display screen 1 is split into windows of previously determined frames (rectangles).
For example, the display screen 1 is formed from one large window (rectangle) 2 and a plurality of small windows (rectangles) 3-1 to 3-5. A speaker is displayed in the large window 2.
In this case, the sizes of the windows and a number of splitting are fixed and the captured images are displayed as they are. Therefore, the sizes of the faces fluctuate in accordance with the state of capture.
In the case of window control of a general PC, it is possible to use a mouse to drag on a window to freely change the size of the window and select the window.
In this regard, mobile phones and other mobile communication terminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in function with each passing year and offer not only audio conversation, but also e-mail, web access, games, cameras, video calls, media players, radios, television, and so on.
At the present time, for a video call at a mobile communication terminal, one selects connection by a video call at the time of making the call.
However, due to the progress in handling packet communications, audio information (VoIP) in which the audio conversation itself is compatible with packet communications is being used. The main methods of use are to activate the camera during conversation and switch to conversation by audio and video and conversely stop the camera and select only audio conversation. Further, it becomes possible to send a document (for example, e-mail), address data, image (still image or moving picture image), audio, etc. stored in a terminal to another party in the conversation so that for example this is automatically reproduced by the other party in the conversation and simultaneously viewed or a web site is simultaneously viewed.
In this way, when mobile communication terminals are converted to the IP format due to the increased sophistication of functions, it will become possible to simultaneously communicate with a plurality of other parties (including a server).
In this case, it is necessary for one terminal to handle a plurality of screens. As the method of handling a plurality of screens, there is the method of handling in a page flipping manner (by PDA etc.).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 06-141310    Patent Document 2; Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 06-141311